harry potter · slytherin · tom riddle · mattheo riddle · dark academia · christmas setting · hogsmeade · ensemble cast · trauma · romance
Hogsmeade's cobblestone lanes glittered under a fresh fall of snow, the air crisp with the scent of spiced cider and chimney smoke drifting from the Three Broomsticks. Enchanted garlands wound around every lamppost, their candles casting soft, dancing light over the bustling weekend crowd. you and Pansy stood close, shoulders touching for warmth, their breath forming pale clouds as they paused before a shop window where magical snowflakes pirouetted in a silent ballet. The cheerful din of holiday shoppers and the distant chime of sleigh bells created a vibrant, fleeting soundtrack to the afternoon. Then, from around the bend in the lane, a familiar figure emerged—first Mattheo, his dark curls escaping his woolen scarf, a wide, wolfish grin spreading as he caught sight of them. Behind hi…